After extra-innings trouble carried over into their first game of a doubleheader against Cal State Northridge Wednesday, the 49ers bounced back with Amanda Hansen’s second shutout of the series.
Long Beach State (28-18, 10-5 Big West) took their season series with CSUN (18-26, 4-8) with a game-two win, but it couldn’t avoid another extra-innings loss in game one for the third time in four games.
“It’s always a team loss,” head coach Kim Sowder said. “There’s always a lot of different opportunities during the game, both offensively and defensively, that can make a difference.”
Starting pitcher Erin Jones-Wesley cruised through two hitless innings before CSUN got to her.
A successful bunt attempt by center fielder Abby Linn allowed right fielder Crystal Maas to drive Linn in with a double to left-center field in the third inning.
Two consecutive errors followed and allowed a second run to score. After second baseman Nalani St. Germain mishandled a force attempt, catcher Dana Garcia overthrew a ball to first base, allowing CSUN shortstop Maylynn Mitchell to score.
The Matadors had four errors of their own, but the 49ers only cashed in one of them with a third-inning run brought in by shortstop Shayna Kimbrough.
In the fifth, Kimbrough tied the game with a run-scoring double to left field that brought home center fielder Leilani Tupua-Tautalatasi.
Jones-Wesley returned to the mound for the eighth inning but couldn’t hold the tie any longer. She came close to getting herself out of a jam when left fielder Brianna Stephan gunned down Korrine Randazzo at home plate, but a single down the right field line by CSUN’s Tanna Bindi allowed two more runs, and the ‘Niners fell 4-2.
“I feel like I just kind of lost it a little bit,” Jones-Wesley said. “Walking that second batter put me in a worse position.”
In back end of the doubleheader, Hansen shut out the Matadors for the second time in two weeks. This time, she did it in front of ESPNU cameras.
Hansen said last week she pitched through tonsillitis. This time she said she felt back to normal but that it didn’t necessarily make the shutout easier.
“I felt a lot better,” Hansen said, “and just being on television was really cool. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
Hansen, who was interviewed by ESPN following her gem, said that the thrill of having the spotlight on her helped her to pitch so effectively.
However, Sowder said that Hansen’s strong performance was rooted in much more than that.
“I am happy for [Hansen],” Sowder said. “She has worked extremely hard, and she continues to get better and better in the season from beginning to end, and that’s what you want to see, is improvement.”
Sowder said she was impressed with the team’s performance even before Hansen settled in.
“Shayna [Kimbrough] did a great job of getting us started in the first inning,” she said. “Right away we just … played good softball.”
Kimbrough opened the inning with a prompt single down the left field line on the first pitch. Hannah De Gaetano singled and Darian Tautalafua walked to load the bases, enabling Karli Sandoval to drive Kimbrough in with a sacrifice fly.
After doubling to left-center field, Sarah Carrasco brought in The Beach’s other run on a sacrifice fly by Stephan.
“It’s just nice to get back on the winning side,” Sowder said. “I am happy with this game and that we bounced back because that was three tough games in a row that we lost with teams coming back.”
The 49ers will host Santa Barbara for a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday. The doubleheader’s first game will start at 1 p.m.